Birmingham, 1993. Princess Diana has made not one but two visits to the UK's second city. Birmingham City Football Club truly have the blues as they are set to be relegated to the third division of the beautiful game. And the Saheli Asian Women's Group, led by Simi (Shaheen Khan), are escaping the humdrum of domesticity for a day at the seaside.

Written by Meera Syal and directed by Gurinder Chadha, Bhaji on the Beach has all the markings of an iconic British comedy. A minibus of nine powerful personalities who are destined to clash on the 250-mile round trip from Birmingham to Blackpool. Despite their differences, group leader Simi is determined to deliver the ladies a “female fun time.”

Thanks to Syal's warm and witty script, Bhaji on the Beach bravely broaches the difficult cultural expectations placed upon women of colour. From the elderly Pushpa (Zohra Sehgal) to promising artist and prospective medical student Hashida (Sarita Khajuria), the group have different ideas on how Indian women should carry themselves. Simi's ideas on feminism have some of the older members clutching their pearls, them believing that marriage and children should come before a woman's own happiness. Indeed, dissatisfied Asha (Lalita Ahmed) experiences Bollywood-themed daydreams where she is visited by Hindu god Rama, the symbol of righteousness and virtue. Rama chants a mantra of “honour, duty, sacrifice,” reminding Asha of her responsibility running a Birmingham convenience store. With a new-found taste of freedom, Asha frees herself from the shackles and allows herself to frolic on the beach.

This high-definition re-release of Bhaji on the Beach, including glorious extras, is a reminder that Gurinder Chadha has always been ahead of her time. Bhaji on the Beach tackles the traditions and stereotypes that keep women in relationships that are loveless or worse, abusive. One of the words uttered by some of the older, more conservative women is “shame.” Shame brought upon oneself, one's family and community, for choosing to put yourself first and not succumb to societal pressure. The film also derides the notion that women must be productive at all times. As Simi concludes in one particularly impassioned speech, “as soon as we start to enjoy ourselves, people start to talk.”

The film is unmistakably 90s, with garish outfits that are (thankfully) a thing of the past, but Bhaji on the Beach is a work of huge cultural significance. Self-appointed spokeswoman Simi reminds the women that they deserve to leave home life for one day in search of candy floss and sticks of rock: “It's not often we women get away from the patriarchal demands made on us in our daily lives, struggling between the double yoke of racism and sexism that we bear.” Gurinder's organic, understated directing style ensures that such ponderings are not preachy, just sadly accurate.

Bhaji on the Beach is a wholly impressive debut feature film that undoubtedly paved the way for Chadha's excellent filmography which includes Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008) and Blinded by the Light (2019). Crucially, without Bhaji on the Beach, there'd be no Bend it Like Beckham. And if Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley weren't on the big screen influencing future superstars, England would still be waiting on a Euros trophy.

As relevant now as it was in 1993, Bhaji on the Beach is a quietly radical tale of how compassion and understanding conquers all.

Blu-ray Special Features

- I'm British But… (1989, 29 mins): a short film by Gurinder Chadha celebrating a defiant culture of British Asian sisters and brothers against the rhythms of Bhangra and Bangla music. Includes optional introduction by activist and broadcaster Shani Dhanda
- A Nice Arrangement (1991, 11 mins): a short comedy directed by Gurinder Chadha and written by Meera Syal about the pre-ceremony rituals of an arranged marriage
- First film of Blackpool (c1898, 1 min): early footage of Blackpool from the BFI National Archive
- Holiday (1957, 18 mins): the delights of 1950s Blackpool holidays are vibrantly revisited in John Taylor's fondly remembered travelogue, produced for British Transport Films
- London Me Bharat (1972, 20 mins): the first Hindi-language film made in Britain, presenting a distinctive and sometimes surprising view of 1970s London
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